Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-21
Inn,nr.s Observation-Disclosures

4 Washington special to the New
York SIN, says:
Secretary Lamar arrived to-day with
his handsome bride Wagers had been
laid by clerks in the Department, who
see daily evidences Of his distracted
ness, that the Secretary would come ON
without her, but he didn't, and he
proved to he a very gallant and atten-
tive bridegroom. \ few days before
he went to Georgia to get married Sec
rotary Lamar hGd occasion to speak OF
his ALLEGED Observation-Disclosures. HIS
friends. who say he intended to invite
his family and friends to his wedding,
hut forgot TO send out the invitations,
recall what he said then.
Its all bosh. said Mr. Lamar, "to
call me absent minded. | was never
ahstnt-minded nor bewildered in my
life. EXCEPT in battlc. In official life I
can keep as straight and regular rs a
clock. But I'll own up to getting be
wildlred in battle. never knew where
| was nor where the enemy were. After
| had been in two or three fights | con
cluded that | must lay down some def
mite rule of conduct in fight to which
1 could hold myself, for if / did not |
could not tell where my bewllderment
might some day take me and my rcgi-
ment. decided that no matter what
happened | would always 60 ahead III II
straight line lust as far us circumstances
and the enemy would let me. At the
battle of Williamsburg / followed this
rule so far that it nearly cost orr peO-
ple the services of myself and regiment.
if it Lad not been for \. Z. Hill my
first extended acquaintance with the
North would have been made from the
slender coign Of vantage to be had lii
military prison. | charged ahead
so hot and 50 fast that when
| halted my entire regiment was
through the cnemy's lines and in their
rear Hill, however, came up on each
side Of my regiment and drove the
enemy back. As he rode up II me he
said: Colonel Lamar, do you know
where YOU are?' had to acknowledge
a very limited amount Of information
on that point, and was never more sur
plised in my life than to learn that |
! had gone through the enemy's lines.
General Hill told me to take my regi-
mcnt to the rear and let his men go on;
but begged to he permitted to go on,
and 50 my regiment was put III line
with Hills brigades and went on.
81 used to think, Mr. Lamar went
on TO say, "before | saw much fight
ing, that the slaughter must be fright
ful. | could not see how, where 50
many bullets were flying, there was
any chance at all for men to escape be-
ing hit. But / soon wondered how
anybody was hit at all. Ny men that
day at Williamsburg shot themselves
all out Of ammunition twice. When
we went into bivouac at night | went
about asking the boys how they felt /
met one big AIississippian from my home
town.
John, did you fire OF all your
powder?'"
Ono, he said, Il tried hard Ill dly,
Colonel, TO do my best, AMI | didn't
fire but twice. All day long 1 didn't
draw bead on Yankee but twice. I've
got my ammunition here, and h
tapped his cartridge box.
% You fired twice, l said, did You
hit 'em those times?'
"'Well, Colonel, TO tell the truth, l
missed one Yank and Pm in doubt
about the other.
"Ihat illustrates war" said the
Secretary. "a lot of men march out
and proceed to create lot OF accidents.
The side that can produce the most ac-
cidents for the greatest number of con-
secutiye hours wins the day"